The $20,000 award will fund the community health organization’s CenteringPregnancy® program, improving health outcomes for parents-to-be and their children in Prince George’s County. 

June 6, 2022, SILVER SPRING, MD – CCI Health Services, one of the largest community health centers serving residents in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, announced today that they received a grant award from the Qlarant Foundation to support their prenatal health program CenteringPregnancy®. 

The CenteringPregnancy® program pairs expecting parents in the same stage of pregnancy and places them within educational and engaging group sessions guided by a health practitioner. Participating parents have their questions answered and learn the essentials of prenatal care, including nutrition, dental care, pediatric care, preterm labor, post-partum depression and care, and more. 

CenteringPregnancy® is highly effective in improving health outcomes for families, decreasing the rate of preterm and low-weight babies while increasing breastfeeding rates and encouraging pregnancy spacing. The program has also been shown to reduce radical disparities in preterm birth. 

The Qlarant Foundation, the mission arm of Qlarant, awards grants annually to programs that advance health equity and improve the health of individuals and communities in Maryland and the District of Columbia. CCI was one of just 12 other organizations in the area to receive the grant award this year.  

“It is an honor to receive this grant from the Qlarant Foundation, an organization that shares CCI’s commitment to equity and improving health outcomes,” said Aastasshia Lacy, CCI’s Maternal & Child Health Director. “This grant will help us continue to expand our reach and provide more essential services to moms-to-be in the community who need our care and support. And the end result will mean more empowered families and healthier babies.” 

The Qlarant grant will allow CCI to serve over 100 CenteringPregnancy® families and facilitate more than 400 HarvestRx deliveries, which will bring distribute produce to participating families. In 2021, CCI provided prenatal care to over 500 patients. 

About CCI Health Services: Founded in 1972, CCI Health Services is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides quality and affordable health care to patients in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. In addition, CCI Health Services empowers underserved populations and advocates for a more equitable health care system.